Sewing-machine.



G. J. DORMANDY. SEWING MACHINE. Arrmonmx'rmnn 41mm, 1901.

1,01 6,937. Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M (1, W M? G. J. DORMANDY.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED we. 19, 1901.

1,016,937, Patented Feb.13,1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\MTNEEEES INVEIQJTDR M 11W 7 6/ M w COLUMBIA rumounlum 00.. wAsnlNa'roN. n C

G. J. DORMANDY. SEWING MAOHINE. APPLICATION FILED 41179.19, 1.901.

1,016,937. Patented Feb. 13,1912.

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G. J. DORMANDY.

SEWING HAUHINE.

APPLICATION FILED me. 10, 1901.

Patented Feb. 13,1912.

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QQI-UIIIA rumour" cm. wunmm. D-

GARRY J. DORMANDY, OF TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO UNITED SHIRT & COLLAR COMPANY, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Application filed August 19, 1901. Serial No. 72,486.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARRY J. DURMANDY, of the city of Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful SewingMachine, and of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sewing machines, wherein the sewing together of two or more plies of fabric by a line of stitching is done, and more particularly to a means whereby the fabrics move progressively past the sewing point, one ply is caused by the sewing mechanism to be relatively advanced or retarded or given a relative speed-gain or speed-loss with respect to another ply in a definite and purposeful manner.

The particular way in which I have actually adapted my invention to definite utility in the art is by employing it in cooperae tion with a fabric moving or feeding means of the kind which oppositely engages both plies of fabric but acts on one ply only for feeding both plies forward; for example, in a sewing machine wherein a presser foot above the upper ply is opposed by a vibrating feed member or dog below the under ply. It has been found that the ordinary action of such a feeding means by reason of the action of the feed dog and the inaction of the opposed member (the p-resser foot), is that as the fabric progresses past the sewing point, the ply acted upon by the feed dog is pushed ahead with very slightly more speed than the other ply, which latter in contact with the presser foot has a tendency to drag; so that if the plies be of equal length at the start, that one on which the feed dog directly acts will have quite materially shortened at the end of the sewing.

This action is of especially serious conse-.

quence in the sewing of articles of fixed length, such as the fabric blanks which go to make up collars, cuffs and the like. In the modern manufacture of these articles, the fabric blanks are previously infolded at their edges in large quantities by machinery, every blank being an exact duplicate of every other. The seamstress takin two of these blanks, places them face to ace and sews around close to the periphery. If the edge of one blank were to come out shorter than the corresponding edge of the other blank, a very imperfectly formed cuff would result. Such irregularity or inequality in the feed has been sought to be corrected by having the under feed member opposed, not by the presser foot, but by another moving member above the fabrics which vibrates horizontally in harmony with the under feed. This affords a positive feed, the ma-' terial being in effect clamped above and below and having no opportunity for unequal movement. I propose, however, not to oppose the vibrating feed member with another vibrating member, thus complicating the machincry. On the contrary my invention contemplates that the vibrating feed member shall be opposed in the ordinary Way by a non-vibrating member, such as the presser foot, and then to provide, separate from these opposed members, a stitch forming means which also is adapted, by acting on both plies as they progressively move past the sewing point, to cause one ly to be relatively advanced or retarded wlth respect to the other in a definite manner. This will be so designed and adjusted as to effect a relative retardation of the ply on which the vibrating feed acts; or, what is the same thing, a relative advance of the other ply. The extent of this relative advance or retardation will be calculated to exactly offset the effect above described of the unequal feed or progressive shortening of that ply on which the feed dog acts. The result will be that the sewing will be brought out exactly even at the end. This manifestly advantageous result I have shown as carried out in a machine wherein an under feed member or dog is opposed by a presser foot, and in which the sewing means acts separately from the action of the presser foot and feed dog in such manner as to cause the progressive relative advance or retardation of one ply with respect to the other. A needle actingupon both fabric plies is the part of the sewing means which I'show as causing this action, and I preferably employ the very needle which simultaneousl forms the stitches that unite the two fabric plies.

Heretofore sewing machine needles have been used so as to effect the feeding of fabric being sewed, but I claim to be the first to have used such a needle in a way to cause a progressive relative advance or retardation of one with respect to the other of the piles being sewed together; and more especially to a definite, purposeful and useful end such as that of offsetting the disadvantageous action of a feeding means which comprises opposed members only one of which vibrates horizontally.

The manner in which I have applied my invention to a sewing machine needle is to so fit the latter to the mechanism operating it that the needle will stand bodily at an incline, and its point will enter the fabric at an incline to the needles path of movement. By regulating the direction and extent of incline different predetermined results can be obtained. An incline out of perpendicular but in a plane passing perpendicular to the work through the needle and the line of feed will effect a retardation or speed-loss in one ply as against speed-gain in the other. I have discovered that a forward slant in the direction of feed, as in dotted lines in Figure 1, will relatively ad vance the upper ply as the fabric progresses past the sewing point, whereas the reverse slant will relatively retard it, the extent depending on the angle of incline. With a feed dog, therefore. below the fabrics, a needle slant in the direction of feed and of a proper extent, will offset the unequal feed action and bring the plies out even at the end. Needle adjustment is therefore important to obviate new design for each specific employment of such a machine; and I claim needle adjustment, especially in the peculiar form devised by me shown in the drawings hereof. If instead of the underfeed, a so-called overfeed be employed, its tendency will be to shorten the upper ply as the stitching progresses, which effect may be offset by using my invention with the needle slant reversed from the slant used with the underfeed, and set at the proper angle.

hen adjusted, say for sewing the edges of a cuff in process of manufacture, a machine embodying my invention will operate to turn out every cuff with. correct sewing and all edges exactly evened up.

It will be seen that my improvements are applied to the type of machine wherein the needle in its reciprocation is caused to pass from the outer (upper) side of the work so as to pierce the work and project a substantial distance beyond the reverse or inner (lower) side of the work, where the usual thread manipulating devices may be located.

I will first describe one form of machine which embodies my improved method of operation and the means therefor also comprised as a part of my invention.

Accompanying the specification and forming a part of it are four plates of drawings containing 14 figures illustrating one way in which my invention may be employed.

Similar letters of reference are used to designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a form of sewing machine embodying my invention, in

which two needle positions are shown, indicating the adjustability thereof, the dotted position being the inclined position which effects a relative specddnss or gain in one ply of fabric with respect to the other. Fig. 2 is a side or front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. I. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the needle. needle clamp and part of the needle bar. Fig. 4 a detailed side elevaton showng part of the needle clamp and indicating the mode of adjustment of the needle. lar view of a different part of the needle clamp from that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an end view of the clamp part illustrated in Fig. Figs. 7, 8 and D are views corresponding with 3, 5 and l. but of a modification of the needle adjusting means. Fig. 10 shows a cuff in which upper and lower thicknesses of fabric or material have been sewed tog ther in the usual way by a vertically arranged needle working in coaction with a prcsser foot and an underfeed; this figure illustrating the shortening or gathering of the lower thickness of material, said lower thickness being shown in full lines, and the upper thickness being designated by dotted lines. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal view of the cuff shown in Fig. 1(]. taken on the line 05*. (c and also indicating the shortening or gathering of the lower thickness of fabric beyond which the upper thickness overlaps. .Fig. 12 is a similar section of a cuff when sewed by my improved method and means, in which both the thicknesses of fabric are brought out even at the end. Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the line a. a". of Fig. 4. Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 1. but partly showing an ordinary fabric feeding device of the kind known as an underfeed. which acts on the bottom of the lower ply for the purpose of feeding both the plies.

In the particular form of machine illustrated in the above referred to drawings, A represents a portion of the main arm which is usually a stationary part. and in which the needle bar and presser foot bar are fitted. A table plate T forms a support for the work being sewed. and it has an aperture 7) forming a needle passage. A needle bar B is fitted and rcciprocated vertically in any suitable manner; and at its foot is provided a needle clamp of a special form. which is the preferred form for carrying out my invention. Before describing the details of said clamp I refer to a fabric feeding dcvice shown in Fig. 14. which is of a usual character and in cooperation with which the needle actuating devices may be made to operate as set forth in the early paragraphs of this specification. \Vhile there are several forms of feeding devices, the one herein shown comprises opposed members pressing oppositely against the upper face of the upper fabric ply and the lower face of the Fig. 5 is a simi-' lower fabric ply, but only one of which members actually serves to eflect a feeding movement of the fabrics. This last named member is the sharp toothed rack Q which forms an under feed dog and which is directly below and opposes the presser foot with which it cotiperates in the feeding of the fabrics. The presser foot as usual may have adaptability for upward and downward movement, for example, to permit its being raised for the insertion or removal of the work. It has not, however, any horizontal reciprocation, and the under feed dog is relied upon for causing the forward movements of the fabric. For actuating the under feed dog and causing horizontal reciprocations therein, any well known mechanism may be employed, such as the rod Q, whose ends, not shown, are actuated so as to produce in the dog Q the desired feeding movement which comprises a horizontal reciprocation. Dog Q and rod 9 are attached together.

When the above described form of feed device is used, my novel needle feeding method and means may be considered as supplemental thereto, or a sort of corrective. In other words, the unequal feeding of the upper and lower plies caused by an ordinary feed mechanism such as that shown, may by the use of my novel needle operating means be corrected so that a proper result willbe insured, namely, by equalizing the speeds of the upper and lower plies and causing the same to come out exactly even'at the end of the line of stitches.

The needle clamp C, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 13, is preferably formed in two parts, one of which C is secured with the reciprocating needle bar and the other part G having connected to it the needle N. The clamp part C is cut away on one side, as best seen in Fig. 13, so as to produce a sort of overhanging portion 12., whose under side It is preferably in the form of an are so as to cooperate with the needle adjustment which will now be described. At g is a groove formed in the clamp part C said groove being in the form of an arc and serving to cooperate with a projection on of a similar form integral or connected with the other clamp part C When the two clamp parts are mutually engaged and the projection m is fitted into the groove 9, then the clamp parts will be susceptible of a relative sliding motion about the arc of a circle, and

the curvatures are so selected that the center of the arc of movement will coincide substantially with the point of the needle; the result being that the adjustment of the clamp parts will not affect the location of the needle point. To retain the clamp parts in their engaged position a screw P may be formed upon the lug n, as best seen in Fig. 6, which screw may project through a v j usting device such parts,

parts slot d formed in the clamp part C at the bottom of the groove g thereof; and the nut M, Fig. 3, when tightened, will serve to hold the parts rigidly and permanently in whatever position they may be adjusted. For securing minute accuracy in the adjustment there may be employed a screw adas the threaded shaft S, whose ends are journaled at If, I)", in the clamp part C or rather in the overhanging portion h thereof. The thread W of this screw shaft is intended to act as a worm in conjunction with a rack formed on the other clamp part. R designates such a rack, and it is shown as formed upon the upper side of the clamp part C By turning the head H of the screw shaft S, the clamp part can be moved back or forth to any desired angle of adjustment with respect to the vertical traverse or reciprocation of the needle bar.

lVhile it is of particular utility to adjust ,the needle as above described in a vertical plane passing through the line of stitches, still I have provided means for so shifting the needle holding means that the angle of .inclinationmay be made to occupy a different plane, for example, one at right angles to the line of stitches, so that in suitable cases a tendency might be produced to cause a relative movement as between plies in such transverse direction. This species of adjustment I have provided for by forming a rotating connection between the clamp part C and the needle bar B. To accomplish this the needle bar may be formed with a cylindrical socket L in its lower end, and the clamp part C may be formed with a cylindrical spindle extending upward into the socket L. Said spindle has a shoulder at O cooperating with the lower side of the needle bar, and it also has an encircling groove 3 which cotiperates with a screw K passing through the socket wall w, the inner end of the screw entering the groove Z so that when the screw is tightened it will retain the clamp part C in whatever adjustment it may be placed relatively to the needle bar.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the needle clamp is formed in two C and C the inner or cooperating faces of which parts are made in the form of racks, whose teeth and grooves are radially placed, tapering inwardly and downwardly.

, A bolt b connects the clamp parts, it passing through an aperture 0 in the clamp C and a similar opening 0 in the clamp part 0, and with a nut n thereon to secure the parts rigidly together. The grooves 41 referred to on the respective clamp parts cooperate with each other to form in effect a series of needle sockets, into any one of which a shank of a needle may be inserted according to the angular position desired, and upon the tightening of the nut n the needle will be there securely held.

By the term vertical as applied to the line or plane in which the needle or the needle bar is reciprocated, I of course include any line or plane approximately vertical or approximately at right angles with the plane in which the fabric moves.

\Vhile my improved method of operating I a stitch forming needle and the means therefor may be used to great advantage as before described by causing two thicknesses of material to come out evenly when they are placed one over the other and sewed together, it may also be used with the inclination of the needle directed to meet the movement of the fabric. or directly obliquely thereto, or even at right angles to the line of stitches or the direction in which the fabric is fed, so long as the angle made by the inclination of the needle is acute to the vertical traverse of the needle bar.

The letter J designates a cuff which has been sewed in the usual manner without correction for the unequal feed. J 2 is a section of the same on the plane m m while J is a section of a cuff that has been sewed by my improved method and means of operating the needle.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sewing machine, a work support having a needle passage therein, and a feeding means adapted to engage two-ply work on said support, said feeding means acting on one ply only for feeding forward both plies past the sewing point, combined with a means for reciprocating a needle to pass from the outer side to project substantially beyond the inner side of the work and reverse, for forming a line of stitches in two plies of fabric to sew them together, and a needle. said needle being fixed at an incline to its line of reciprocation, so that said needle while forming a line of stitches will simultaneously act on both fabric plies to effect a progressive relative speed-gain of one ply with respect to the other; whereby the unequal action of said feeding means may be corrected by the action of the stitch forming means.

2. In a sewing machine, a means for reciprocating a needle for forming a line of stitches in two plies of fabric to sew them together, together with a needle, a needle support having means for setting it to hold the needle at an incline to its line of reciprocation, whcreby said needle while forming a line of stitches will simultaneously act on both fabric plies to effect a progressive relative speed-gain of one ply with respect to the other; said needle setting means being adjustable to vary the incline of the needle while maintaining unchanged the position of the needle point.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support having a needle passage therein, a presser foot opposed thereto, the material to be sewed passing between said support and presser foot, a reciprocating feed dog, and a means for causing a progressive relative speed-gain in one ply of material when two plies are being sewed together, with respect to the other ply, said means consisting of a needle, mechanism for reciprocating the needle to pass from the outer side to project substantially beyond the inner side of the work and reverse, and an attaching device for rigidly holding the needle in a fixed relation to and at an incline with its line of movement with the needle point in cooperative relation to said needle passage.

4. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle bar combined with a needle secured rigidly to said needle bar in a fixed relation and at an incline with its line of movement, for the purpose of effecting a progressive relative speed-gain in one of two plies of fabric being sewed together with respect to the other ply, and means for adjustably varying the angle of the needles inclination while retaining the rigid condition for each adjustment, said adjustment being of the needles shank, the needles point remaining in the same position.

5. The combination with the vertically reciprceated needle bar of a sewing machine, and the table plate provided with the needle passage, of a needle clamp mounted rigidly and adjustably on the needle bar, and a needle carried by the clamp, said clamp being adjustable in a curve concentric with the point of the needle and the needle being thereby located at an acute angle relatively to a vertical line coincident with the line of movement of the needle bar and the said passage, the point of the needle moving in a line co-incident with the said vertical line, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a sewing machine, a needle bar, a needle and a connection between the needle and bar such that the former may be angularly adjusted with relation to the latter, with the point of the needle as the center of the are of adjustment, substantially as de scribed.

7. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle bar, a needle and a connection be tween the needle and bar such that the former may be angularly adjusted with relation to the latter, with the point of the needle as the center of the are of adjustment, and held rigidly in such adjustment during the reeiprocations of said needle bar.

8. In a machine for sewing together the equal-length plies going to make up a cuff, collar or other article, the combination of a.

l work support having a needle passage therein, feeding means comprising opposed memhere between which the fabric is pressed and one of which members reciprocates horizontally for feeding both the fabric plies, a needle, mechanism for reciprocating the needle toward and from said needle passage for sewing the plies together, said mechanism comprising a device for setting the needle at an incline to its line of reciprocation, whereby the needle While forming stitches may simultaneously effect a relative acceleration of that fabric ply against which GARRY J. DORMANDY.

Witnesses:

W. E. HAGAN. CHARLES S. BRINTNALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Uommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

